John Bolton pleads guilty over classified documents

Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty to illegally retaining classified information, sealing a deal with federal prosecutors that could allow him to avoid a prison term. 
Bolton, who became an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump after serving in the Republican’s first administration, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28 by US District Judge Theodore Chuang in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Bolton, 77, of Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a single count of illegally retaining national defence information, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. His plea agreement with the Justice Department may enable him to avoid time behind bars, but the judge ultimately will decide his punishment. Trump celebrated the plea on his social media platform late Friday, calling Bolton a “terrible person” and writing, “Hopefully, he will be dealt with harshly!”

The plea agreement recommends capping any prison sentence at five years, but the judge isn’t bound by that part of the deal.